Why Is the Prettiest Girl in School Trying to Talk to a Loner Like Me during Lunch Break? - Chapter 32 - Want to Know

Chapter 32: Want to Know

“Andou-kun, shall we take a break?”

“Ah, yeah. We’ve been studying for over an hour already… This is the first time I’ve studied this much outside of class.”

“First time… Andou-kun, that’s why your scores are low in everything except math. Don’t you usually study?”

“If I have time to study, I read light novels instead.” Firmly

(I totally understand that feeling! But it’s not fair that I study properly and can’t get 100 points, while Andou-kun doesn’t study and gets 100…)

“Wait, if you don’t study, when do you do homework? And in the first place, how can you get 100 in math without studying?”

“Hm, homework? I do math homework. During class.”

“Eh! During class!? W-what do you mean?”

“Well, math homework is always problems from the next section we’ll cover in the textbook, right? So during class, since I already understand that day’s content from the previous lesson, I preview the next section’s content by myself during class. That’s why my textbook always has the problems from slightly ahead already solved.”

“So… during class time alone, you do that day’s lesson content, preview, review, and homework?”

“That’s right.”

“Andou-kun… If you can do all that, why are you terrible at other subjects?”

“Well~ I’m bad at memorization and stuff.”

“Math is memorization too.”

“No no, math is ‘calculation.'”

“Is that how it works? I wonder… But Andou-kun, you read light novels but you’re bad at Japanese?”

“Ahaha… I’m good at reading comprehension, but kanji and classical Japanese are impossible!”

“Ufufu, I see.”

(For some reason, I thought Andou-kun was a humanities type since he always reads light novels, but he’s surprisingly more science-oriented. Back when I was just watching Andou-kun from afar, I never would have imagined this. Sigh... Before, I just wanted to talk about light novels with Andou-kun, but now—)

“I want to know more about Andou-kun…”

“Eh?”

“Heh!”

(W-what did Asakura-san just say!? She wants to know about me? Why… could it be—!)

(Oh no! Why did I say that out loud… A-Andou-kun heard me, didn’t he!?)

“Asakura-san, just now…”

“N-no! Andou-kun, that was… hahaha.”

Click!

“”!?””

(That sound… Eh, is it that time already?)

(No way! Someone came home! Could it be Andou-kun’s…)

Slam!

“I’m home~~ …Huh? Is someone here?”

“A-Andou-kun! Someone came home… could it be your parents?”

“No, at this time… it’s probably my little sister.”

(…Eh!)

“Andou-kun’s little sister!?”

[Bonus Story] “Shovel 2”

“Asakura-san, besides my recommendations, how do you find new light novels?”

“Simply put, cover buying!”

“…………”

“I-it’s not what you think! I properly consider the synopsis and contents before cover buying, so don’t misunderstand that part!?”

“No no… but in the end, you mainly buy ones with good-looking covers, right?”

“W-well… yes.”

“By the way, how many light novels do you currently have piled up unread?”

“…………About ten?”

“Read them! Asakura-san, before asking me for other light novel recommendations, read those piled-up novels first!”

“Uuu~~! But, but, because… the light novels Andou-kun recommends are ab-so-lutely more interesting than the ones I choose!”

“That’s incredibly unreasonable reasoning!?”

“Geez, Andou-kun! T-take responsibility… On the way home today, y-you’re going to accompany me to the bookstore to look for new light novels!”

“And that’s even more unreasonable reasoning!? Well, stopping by a bookstore on the way home… if you’re okay with me, I’ll go with you.”

“Good! Then it’s decided♪”

(Ufufu! Yes! Another bookstore date with Andou-kun!)

“By the way, when you’re unsure which light novel to buy, what factor ultimately decides which one you choose, Andou-kun?”

“When I’m unsure which to buy… Hmm, let’s see.”

(Well, in those cases, usually…)

“I guess the cover after all!”

Translation Notes:

• “Cover buying” (表紙買い) – purchasing books based on cover art alone, a common practice among Japanese readers
• Asakura has about 10 unread light novels piled up, a common phenomenon called “tsundoku”